| |
POOR |
NEEDS IMPROVEMENT |
TYPICAL |
BEST PRACTICE |
| Newsworthiness |
The press release reads like a brochure or essay, without announcing anything new |
The story announces something new, but doesn't matter much to anyone outside your organization |
The headline announces something new; the story is timely and big enough for the intended audience; but press releases are limited only to announcing "hard news" |
The headline announces something new or trumpets a unique "angle;" the story is timely and big enough to interest the intended audience. The PR team actively "manufactures" soft news |
| Keyphrase Targeting |
Keyphrase use is coincidental, not planned |
The press release's keyphrases are acronyms or "internal-speak" that are rarely used outside your organization |
Relevant keyphrases are selected based on the highest historical search engine traffic volume trends |
Relevant keyphrases are selected based on the search terms that are currently capturing the public's imagination |
| Keyphrase Location |
Keyphrase use is coincidental, not planned |
Keyphrases appear sporadically throughout the press release, with low density |
Keyphrases are used in the press release's headline, subheadline, and first paragraph |
Keyphrases are used in the press release's headline, subheadline, summary, first paragraph, subheadings, and in the place of pronouns to achieve a density of at least 5% |
| Press Release Distribution Channels |
Posted only on your website |
Posted on your website and distributed via a newswire service |
Posted on your website and distributed via a newswire service and to limited media contacts |
Posted on your website, distributed via a newswire service, syndicated in online newsfeeds, sent via personalized email or fax to all journalists and major bloggers who report on your issue, followed-up by phone calls to the most influential |
| Bulk Email Distribution |
Press releases are sent as a mass email to an unfiltered and infrequently updated contact list without personalization |
Press releases are sent as a "bcc" mass email to relevant journalists on your infrequently updated contact list |
Bulk mailed press releases arrive as an apparently individual (but not personalized) email, sent to a frequently updated contact list |
Bulk mailed press releases arrive as an apparently individual email, sent to a frequently updated contact list. The email uses "mail merge fields" so that your note appears personal as it explains how your news applies to the journalist's audience |
| Capturing Attention |
The headline and summary are vague, "cute," or "punny" |
The headline is clear and factual, but not compelling |
The headline and summary are compelling, but provide too few details |
The press release grabs readers' attention in the first eight seconds. The headline is compelling, the brief summary answers "who, what, where, when, why and how" |
| Call-to-Action |
No call-to-action |
The call-to-action is implied |
The call-to-action is overt, but is not linked directly to a take-action landing page |
A call-to-action and a link to the take-action landing page is provided early in the press release (within the bounds of journalistic style) |
| Journalistic Style |
The press release reads like an advertisement |
The press release is overly creative, it breaks away from the traditional format and uses gimmicky tricks to get attention |
The press release is written in the traditional format, uses third-person voice, answers "who, what, where, when, why and how," lists the most important information first, and avoids hyperbole |
The press release meets all journalistic standards but still manages to be appealing and personally relevant to the intended audience |
| Hyperlinks |
No links included |
The press release links only to your home page |
The press release promotes 1 link for every 100 words |
The press release uses keyphrase-rich hyperlinks to promote 1 link for every 100 words |
| Online Press Room |
Nonexistent |
Sparse, outdated, or hard to find |
The pressroom includes contact info, current and past press releases, links to media coverage, management bios, as well as a description of your organization's mission, achievements and history |
The press room includes contact info for a person that can be reached quickly and reliably, current and past press releases, links to media coverage, visuals, opinion editorials, speech transcripts, management bios, as well as a description of your organization's mission, achievements, and history |
| Social Media |
Nonexistent |
Limited social media features are used when distributing press releases through PRWeb |
All social media features are used when distributing press releases through PRWeb |
All social media features are used when distributing press releases through PRWeb. Press room webpages include: Technorati tags, social bookmarks, social news voting buttons (e.g., Digg and StumbleUpon), newsfeed subscription buttons, and a trackback link (for bloggers) |
| Personalized Contact with Bloggers |
Bloggers are not targeted |
Bloggers and traditional journalists are pitched in the same way |
Pitches to bloggers are concise and friendly |
Ongoing relationships are formed with influential bloggers. Press release pitches are preceded by first becoming a helpful resource to those bloggers |
